Cars for news

15 December 2005

It is surprising how many people do not
know how, or simply do not want to change a
flat tyre.

And everyone will experience one sooner or
later, it goes with owning a car and driving.

A trend is emerging to call a road service
organization or a mechanic to come and do the
job.

If you look at it rationally, changing a flat
tyre is relatively simple but it has to be done
safely.

It would be beneficial to make changing a
flat part of licence testing.

When you get a flat tyre, the most important
thing to do is to get the vehicle off the road and
away from fast moving traffic as much as
possible.

You can move the car a little but not much
otherwise it will damage the tyre.

The ground should be hard as it’s almost
impossible to jack up a car on soft ground.
Apply the hand brake and put the transmission in gear, P if it’s an automatic.

If the car has a safety triangle, it should be
deployed about 10 meters behind the vehicle to
warn other road users.

And here’s a trick, carry a pair of cloth
gloves in the boot to wear when changing a flat
otherwise you will need hand cleaner after the
job is done.

You can also use the gloves at the service
station when refelling.

Dealing with anything involving wheels and
tyres on a car will produce grime on your
hands.

If the rear of the car is going to be raised,
chock the front wheels (stop them rolling) if
possible.

Take out the jack and follow the instructions
to the letter with special attention to the correct
jacking points under the car. These will be
indicated with small diagrams on the jack.

Place the jack under the car and wind it up
a little but before the wheel is off the ground,
remove the wheel cover – usually levered off,
and then use the wheel brace (large socket
spanner) to loosen all the wheel nuts.

If the nuts are on tight, stand on the longer
arm of the wheel brace to free them. They undo
anti-clockwise.

Jack up the car until the flat tyre is well off
the ground, about 10cm would be good.

Undo all the wheel nuts and take the tyre off
the studs (the threaded bits).

Keep the wheel nuts in one place. Roll the
flat tyre out of the way and lay it on the side so
it won’t roll away.

Take the spare from its holding place and roll
it to where it’s needed.

The tricky bit is to line up the holes in the
wheel with the studs. It requires some strength
but if you line everything up fairly closely, the
lift isn’t too great.

Put the top wheel nut on to secure the spare
in place but you will probably have to place
your foot against the bottom of the spare to
hold it there until a couple of wheel nuts are on.

Tighten them all finger tight and then snug
them up with the wheel brace before lowering
the jack and tightening them properly but don’t
stand on the wheel brace to do this, just use your
hands.

Replace the wheel cover, put the flat in the
boot together with the jack, wheel brace and
safety triangle and off to the tyre dealer to have
it repaired. Try and do this straight away
otherwise you might forget until the next flat,
then you will be in some bother.

It is rare to see a long-haul truck at night without fully functional illumination. That means low- and high- beam headlights, extra driving lights, clearance lights, indicators, brake, parking and tail lights and number plate lights.

Why?

Because, apart from being their livelihood, a trucking’s vehicle is checked pretty well every day a check that includes all the lights.

Not only that, but the vehicle is properly set-up to provide optimum illumination with the available lights and to cause the lowest impact on other road users.

Now, think about private car owners and how many you see with weak headlights, only one headlight, no brake or tail lights, misaligned headlights, malfunctioning indicators and you begin to wonder what’s going on.

The answer is simple. Many car owners are apathetic about vehicle maintenance and never check it to ensure everything is fully functional.

Lights more specifically, poor lights or no lights would contribute to many road deaths in this state.

There is justification for a crackdown at various levels to ensure drivers can at least see reasonably well at night or be seen by other road users.

Headlights or headlight filaments don’t last forever and must be replaced after a few years.

Its capacity to generate light diminishes over time to the point where old halogen lights emit only a dull yellow glow. Letting headlights deteriorate to the point of failure is foolhardy. They can be tested for candlepower output relatively easily and replacements are cheap.

The car’s electrical system should also be monitored because failing electrics for whatever reason (battery, alternator, faulty wiring) can also cause dull lights.

Another consideration is beam alignment.

This, along with the lights, should be checked each year with a registration inspection but seem to be a low priority given the number of cars with obviously misaligned headlights.

These are the ones that dazzle oncoming drivers because they are set too high or point too low or too far to one side to the point of being ineffectual.

Headlight alignment is a simple, quick task that can be carried out by your rego inspector.

Other lights need monitoring: the brake, tail and indicator lights all perform critical functions. If faulty, they can cause a collision.

Even rear fog lights and reversing lights play an important part but unfortunately, most car owners never check them.

When you boil it all down, there’s a huge safety bonus from spending a couple of minutes each week checking the condition of a handful of globes that cost a couple of dollars and take about five minutes or less to replace for a huge boost in safety.

Some cars also have blown light warning systems on the dash.

Some drivers go to great lengths to keep their cars spick and span. For example, did you know that some car-lovers even use a photographer’s loupe to inspect the condition of the paint job.

We have scoured the internet for some weird and wacky car tips. Read on if you want to find out why you should turn off your radio when driving over a pot hole or why you have to brush up on body language when buying a used car.

What is the easiest way to protect your car’s appearance and its price?
Simply give your car a wash each week. This includes attending to bird droppings as soon as you spot them – the stuff in them can seriously damage your paint job.

Also, if you want to be really pedantic, get under the car and clean the chassis of all the grease and grime that’s built up from filthy roads. The best way to do it? Kerosene. Sure, it’s stinky and you’d better hope no one lights a match while you’re doing it, but it does the best job.

And if kerosene wasn’t strange enough as a car cleaning product, did you know that some people actually put toothpaste on their alloy wheels?

Apparently the ingredients in the old Colgate are one of the most effective cleaning products for alloys.

These days everyone is looking for ways to save on petrol and the best way to do that is to make sure you take good care of the engine because a well tuned engine means lower fuel consumption. Also, avoid those jackrabbit style starts because not only do they make the car use more petrol but they are bad for the tyres as well.

Gone to pick up a friend and they are not quite ready? Turn off your engine while you wait. One minute of idling uses more fuel than restarting your vehicle again.

If you’re buying a privately-owned car. brush up on your understanding of sellers’ body language.

When you discuss the service history, chances are the owner will not always be truthful. But you can pick the porkies from the truth because fibbers tend to touch their ears or cover their mouth.

If you’re buying a new car and wondering whether to go for Arabian Black or Caledonian Blue, remember this – white is the most durable paint color, the easiest to touch up and the easiest to clean. It also reflects heat and your air-conditioner doesn’t have to work so hard, so you save fuel.

Finally, why should you turn off your radio before you hit a pothole?
When a suspension arm cracks it produces a low pitch sound. You won’t hear it if you’re singing along to the Top 40.

News Interactive

After buying a house, buying a car is the second most expensive purchase
most of us are ever likely to make in our lives so it’s important to
get it right.

Here are a few handy tips to help you make the right decision:

NEW OR USED

Nothing beats the smell of a new car, the thrill of driving away in a car that is yours, one that’s never been owned by anyone else, but it comes at a price in the form of depreciation. You can virtually write off 20 per cent of the purchase price the moment you drive away from the dealer because it’s then a used car. Cars depreciate faster in the first two or three years of their life and the new car buyer has to cop that for the pleasure of being the first owner. By buying used it’s possible to avoid the heaviest depreciation. Cars will still depreciate in their latter years, but at a lower rate.

New car buyers can choose the color of their car, the trim color, the engine, transmission and other options and accessories, but used car buyers have to take what’s available.

New car buyers have the reassuring backup of a new car warranty so they know that if anything goes wrong they won’t be up for a big repair bill. Anyone buying from a used care dealer will also have a warranty, but it won’t be for as long as the new car warranty. Private buyers don’t have any warranty.

By buying used it’s possible to get behind the wheel of a better car than you might when buying new. For the cost of a new Commodore or Falcon it is possible to drive a used BMW or Mercedes-Benz.

There is always the risk of buying a ‘lemon’ when buying used because there is no way of knowing how previous owners have treated a car.

NEGOTIATING WITH DEALERS

It’s a buyers market which means you can bargain with dealers for a better deal, but you need to be prepared for the battle.

Do some homework on market values before you go shopping so you know the value of the car you’re buying and the value of your trade-in. That way you’ll be better placed to barter with the dealer.

Have your finance arranged before you go shopping, but don’t tell the dealer. Dealers will often cut the price of a car believing they’ll make money on the finance.

Don’t settle on the first car you inspect. Visit a number of dealers and compare deals before making a commitment.

Look for a dealer well stocked with the car you want and he’ll be more prepared to deal.

Shop towards the end of the month when dealers are looking to get their quotas up.

FINANCING YOUR WHEELS

Few of us are able to hand over a wad of cash to pay for our car, we all need finance for the purchase.

Before you start work out how much you afford to pay, and how much you can afford to repay.

Don’t be tempted to use your credit card to pay for your car, the interest rate on credit cards is generally very high.

Finance through dealers is the most expensive, dealers are on-selling the finance to you and they are making a profit on the deal, so cut out the middle man and go straight to the source of the finance.

Banks offer finance at a cheaper rate than the dealers, but approval can take time.

Independent finance companies specializing in car finance often have the lowest interest rates, and some offer fast approvals with an on-line service.

WHERE TO BUY

Buying from a dealer gives you the security of a warranty. By law dealers have to give you a warranty which gives you some recourse if something goes wrong with the car later.

Dealers also have to guarantee ownership of the vehicle, that there is no outstanding finance on it which might complicate matters later. They also have to guarantee the odometer reading.

It’s possible to buy cars cheaper at auction, but there are risks. There’s little chance to check a car over, there’s no chance to drive it, so you take a risk on its condition. The auction environment is not one for the faint hearted, it’s fast moving with lots of little nods, winks and gestures for those in the know. Spend the time to visit auctions to become familiar with them before attempting to join in the action. It’s a good idea to take along someone with mechanical knowledge to help you assess the cars before the auction starts.

Buying privately can be a way of saving money, but it can be risky for the unwary. There is no comeback with a private purchase, once you’ve driven away you’re on your own, however you will almost always pay less for a private purchase than through a dealer.

USEFUL CHECKS WHEN BUYING USED

If you’re buying a used car privately you should proceed carefully.

Shop around before you spend. Look at a number of cars so you can get a good idea of the prices, average odometer readings and general condition of cars on offer so you’re armed and ready to negotiate with the seller.

Ask to see the car’s service book and check its service history. It is worth making a phone call to the service agent and ask them about the car. If there isn’t a service history walk away.

Check with the RTA to make sure the seller is the owner of the car and that it has a clear title of ownership with no outstanding finance on it.

Check the car’s history by using the vehicle’s VIN number.

Have the car checked by the NRMA or other respected organization who will be able to give you a pre-purchase inspection and report on the condition of the car.

Buy a car with as much registration left on it as possible. That way you won’t have to spend a few hundred dollars extra soon after buying it.

Before test driving a car make sure it is insured and that the coverage includes you as the driver.

When viewing adverts online from private advertisers, beware of common internet scams. These usually involve the advertiser requesting you transfer money before you’ve seen the vehicle but there are several variations. Check our section for some useful advise on avoiding the popular cons.

Remember. If it seems to good to be true; it probably is!

News Interactive

It generates more than the usual amount of caravan traffic to destinations further north.

Chances are the ‘van has been sitting around unused for six or more months and the tyres could have developed a flat spot or the rubber perished.

If that’s the case, the tyre could fail out in some remote location, just where you don’t need the grief.

Caravan tyres have thicker plies than passenger car tyres and are more susceptible to flat spotting if left in the one place for a long time.

There are different tyres for different ‘van applications, too, so if you haven’t been all that fastidious and didn’t put the van on blocks with the wheels and tyres protected, take the wheels off and have the tyres professionally inspected. While they are off, it’s a good time to regrease and retention the wheel bearings and also ensure the brakes work including the parking brake.

It is essential to use the right type of tyres for your ‘van specifically, its weight and size. Weight is definitely the biggest issue for motorists who own caravans.

A caravan manufacturer will supply the tare weight of the caravan, but with extras like the gas bottle, topped up water tanks, the bike and everything else packed aboard, it may add another 500kg. Obviously the tyres need to be able to handle this weight.

Depending on the size of the caravan, tyres might have to carry loads of between 1000 and 3000kg.

The easiest way to check the weight of a fully laden caravan is on a weigh bridge.

When the weight is determined, a certificate is issued which should be taken to your tyre center to ensure the tyres fitted are able to carry the load and if not they can recommend an alternative.

It is also highly advisable to carry a spare for the caravan so ensure it is fully inflated and in good condition.

Tyre pressures can impact on the handling of the vehicle and caravan. Most tyre problems on caravans and trailers are the result of overloading, or not increasing tyre pressure to compensate for the load.